Another Us in Parallel Universe

Chapter 5: Date

I gulped as I saw her standing in front of me. With her knitted brows and frowned lips, she looked at me in confusion. Nakita niya ba ang pagtalon ko?

I couldn't even utter a word.

I steady my breath and try to calm the panic. Nanunuyo ang lalamunan ko, I can't even move. I feel like I was paralyzed on the spot. My heart beat still pounding in my ears. I want to jump and escape for my safety, but my feet wouldn't allow me to do so. What should I do? Is this a game over?

"I said, who are you?!" She shouted again.

"I'm gonna call the cops—"

"H-hi, little sister!" I exclaimed happily, before she could even run.

The confused face turned more confused.

"Heather? Is that you?" She asked with a voice in a rising tone.

I fake laughed. The one laugh with so much "arte" in the voice.

"Of course! Why are you here?" Sobrang arte kong sabi, pilit na ginagaya ang kaartehan ni Heather dito.

I haven't heard Heather's voice yet, but I just feel like she's more sassy than me. Based on what she acted yesterday, she looked so mean and a braggart. Maybe this arte voice will save me from being caught.

"OMG, it's you nga!" She said and hugged me. I sighed in relief. Hindi niya ako nakita.

"I'm so sorry to scared you—"

"Aren't you mad?" She interrupted. I'm now confused. Why would I?

"Because I didn't wear my eyeglasses," she added. I faced her. Saka ko lang nakita na hindi pala siya gaanong tumitingin sa akin.

Are her eyes broken? Kawawa naman kapatid ko dito, napapagalitan ata ni Heather 'pag hindi nagsusuot ng glasses. Now I get it why she didn't recognize me earlier.

Sobrang kinabahan ako do'n ah! Akala ko mabubuking na ako. Akala ko game over na kaagad!

I just shrugged off.

"No, I'm not. Just wear it next time," I smiled. "Bakit ka nga pala nandoon?"

"'Yon nga 'e, I ran there because I heard someone's jump. I didn't actually know if it is jump but I know what that sounds like. I panicked, so I forgot my glasses."

Tapang naman nito sumulong.

"Hindi ka dapat sumusulong kaagad, paano kung magnanakaw pala? Mamamatay tao? Don't do it next time, okay?" I tapped her shoulder.

She touched my hand and nodded her head.

"Okay fine, what can I do? Palagi naman ikaw ang nasusunod." Then, she turned her back and went inside the kitchen.

Sumunod na rin ako sa kaniyang pagpasok.

As I came in, I looked around the house after. It really looked like our house. Literally. The settings, the placement, the things and everything. Pati nga 'yong kulay ng pinta. But that's not what I am actually focusing on. It's mom and Heather, where are they? Seems like Sofie is just all alone here. Wala man lang kasi kahit anong ingay. And even Sofie thought that I was her sister, so it's just mean that she is not around. Which is a good news, because if she is here, I am doomed.

"Where's mom?" I asked Sofie, not minding what she just said.

She took her glasses on the table and put it back on her eyes. "Ikaw lang mag-isa dito?" I added.

Seconds had passed and she was still not answering so looked at her.

She was scanning me.

"What's with that plain boring beige dress and flat black sandals?" She cringed. Now, she is looking at me from head to toe.

Tinignan ko naman sinuot ko.

"Why?" I asked. Okay naman 'to ah? Ang ganda kaya ng simple lang. What's wrong with this?' May dumi ba o butas? I looked at it. Pero wala naman.

"Knowing you, you don't wear like that. And as far as I remembered, before leaving this house with mom, you are wearing sexy shorts. What happened? And why are you looking for mom? Seriously? Asking me why I am alone here? Gusto ko nga sumama pero sabi niyo hindi ko maiintinidhan business niyo."

I bit my lower lip.

Shocks. I shouldn't have asked.

"Ah 'e..."

Ghad, paano ba 'to? I don't know how to construct my words, I couldn't even think well again. Palagi naman akong lost kasi hindi ko alam isasagot ko. How can I answer those questions when I have no knowledge about everything here?

Nahagilap ng mata ko ang orasan sa taas. I saw that's it's already 8:30 and I'm already 30 minutes late!

I saw some medical drugs on the kitchen table and it gave me hope.

"Awww! My stomach hurts!" I acted in pain. Nataranta naman ito at dali-dali akong nilapitan at inalalayan. She looked so confused and worried.

"Hey, what happened? Hey..." she tried to carry me, but she was futile, she couldn't make it.

“Hey ate! What’s wrong? What happened?!”

Naiiyak na ito dahil tudo ang acting ko sa pamimilipit. I'm so sorry Sofie, I have no choice but to do this.

"What am I supposed to do?!" She panicked.

"Kunin mo ang towel ko sa kwarto, nasusuka ako!" I reasoned out, acting like I'm really sick. May pa pikit-pikit at ngiwi pa akong nalalaman. I even acted like I was about to fall. Damn it, where did I learn all of these?

Pwede na akong mag-audition bilang artista.

She stopped and thought for a while.

"There's a sink?" She said in a question form while looking at the sink beside me, sarcastically to be specific.

Napahinga na lang ako nang malalim dahil sa katangahan ko. Oo nga naman may lababo nga naman talaga sa tabi ko. Argh!

"Just get it!" I shouted.

She was shocked because of how I raised my voice. She didn’t know what to do, but later on, she nodded her head and ran upstairs. Parang ngayon niya lang ata na-gets ang sinabi koz

I didn't even wait for her to get inside my room, I sneaked out. I ran back to the backyard and used the small hallway to our gate and went outside.

Luminga pa ako pabalik sa bahay bago tuluyan tumakbo ulit palayo rito.

I stopped when I am a little bit far already. Huminga ako nang malalim dahil sobrang hinahabol ko na ang hininga ko sa pagtakbo. I clutched my chest because of it.

Woah!

I need air. I think I need his mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Kidding!

Tumakbo na ako saka naghanap ng masasakyan.

Buti na lang ngayon ay nagdala na ako ng bag at pera, kundi may pamasahe na. Hindi na ako magpapalibre, nakakahiya naman kung wala akong pera.

Kaagad ko tinungo ang coffee shop at habol hininga pa akong pumara sa sasakyan at pumasok sa loob. Then, there, I saw his back. Clearly it was him because I’ve been watching him from away. Hinding hindi ako magkakamali. Ako pa ba? ‘E stalker niya na ako noon pa man.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," I dearly apologized as I came nearer to him.

And when he turned his back, everything went slow-motion again. I hate slow motion thing, to be honest. Because I literally saw how his face turned at me, how his beautiful eyes blink which could capture my heart for a hundred times, and how his lips formed a curve when he move. I hate it seeing all of those because it makes me—-

It makes me fall in love even more.

It seemed like I came back to the day that I first saw him. Nakakatulala. Nakakakilig. Nakakatameme.

His gaze caught me off guard. I couldn’t move again. I just wanna stare at his pretty visuals.

He's really handsome with his own aura. Typical face of a handsome guy you may say but there's something really different about him that will make you stare and stop you in your tracks. I know he already got used to this, where the sudden pause of a person's natural expression as they looked at his way. What's more beautiful, the blush that he was giving was a dead give-away. It makes me so speechless.

Again, NAKAKATULA.

"You're drooling." He chuckled. He looked at me from head to toe. "-- and you're as beautiful as the moon tonight."

I automatically smiled upon hearing it. Even my cheeks turned red. I can't see it but I am feeling it. I still can't believe I am talking to him.

He stood up.

That's when I saw what he was wearing. Just a formal black suit but has a big impact on him. It is so natural on him. Wala akong masabi, gwapo niya talaga.

"But seriously, I was scared. I thought you won't come," his face turned serious and worried.

Aww. I saw how Heather rejected him yesterday.

Upon seeing him, I couldn’t help myself but get sadder.

I hope I can say that it's not me the Heather you want, but I can't.

Not now, not yet, not this too soon.

I am still enjoying hanging out with you and never will I get tired, I think. Also, I can't help myself. Minsan lang 'to. Minsan ko lang naman ‘tong gagawin sa buong buhay ko. Hindi ko alam kung kailan sasara ang portal papunta dito, and before it closes, gusto ko nabonding kita. Gusto ko maranasan man lang na makasama ka, makausap and you know, spend time with you. Para kahit papaano, maramdaman ko ang feeling na maging malapit sa'yo, Asher. Kahit ngayon lang.

Huwag mo na sa akin ipagkait ang oras na ‘to.

My eyes grew bigger as I felt his hand on my waist. He grabbed it and pulled it to me, then started walking. Nadadala na lang ako hanggang sa nasasakyan na kami. He opened the door for me. Hindi na ako umangal pa at pumasok na lang ako.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

I looked at him, and he glanced at me.

"To the place where both of us will be comfortable."

"But I'm already there," I said so he faced me.

"Really?" He sighed as he looked so disappointed. "I chose this place pa naman to surprise you," he added.

"Yeah, I'm already with you." I saw how his brows met.

"Because with you, I'm comfortable." Banat ko saka ngumiti.

I bit my lips to stop it from smiling. Ang mga ngiti niya sa labi ay hindi rin nawala habang patuloy ito sa pagmamaneho.

"Hindi na pala ako uuwi." Biglaang singit nito. Ha? Bakit?

"Why?" Nagugulohan kong tanong.

"Because I'm already home."

My smile widened.

"Aba ah, lumalaban sa banatan!" Hyper kong sabi saka tumawa nang malakas. Dinala ko na lang sa tawa ang kilig ko.

Imagine, your crush giving you pick up lines?! Sino hindi kililigin? Sarap humalapusay sa sahig at manuntok dahil sa kilig.

We just listened to different songs until we reached his so-called place.

The cold breeze of the air embraced me as I stepped outside. Asher guided me to a small luxurious restaurant filled with gold fairy lights in it. It just looks so amazing. I feel like I'm one of the princesses who entered the castle with a lot of people welcoming me. Everyone is smiling. Everyone looks so soft.

Asher walked me to the middle. Saka ko lang napansin na kami lang pala ang tao dito. I didn't know that this date is full of expensive things, ang tanging alam ko lang naman ay magdi-dinner lang kami.

Asher is really treating me so special. Do I deserve this?

Umupo kami at may pagkain na. He gave me the flowers, then I sniffed it.

"Ang bango," the only words that came out from my mouth.

He just smiled.

"Do you like it? This?"

I immediately nodded. "Sobra! I never expected this!" I exclaimed.

"Pero mukhang ang mahal. Napagastos ka tuloy." Nahihinayang lang ako.

He smiled again. "Maybe money can buy all of this, but the time you spend with me is priceless. What I gave is nothing compared to the thing that you are experiencing now."

He's so sweet.

We ate and talked a lot of stuff. And I learned a lot from him, and that made me realize that he was not just handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice but he was also handsome from his generous views and opinions. The way he thinks of things makes me like him even more.

Everything is so magical, especially not until he invited me to go out and go upstairs where we can do stargazing.

At first, I was hesitant. I'm afraid to tell him that I'm afraid of heights. But he was too smart to get it.

"Are you afraid of heights?" He asked.

I nodded.

"I don't think so," he paused and held my hand. "— no one's afraid of height, even you."

Kumunot noo ko. 'E takot nga ako ih.

"You're just afraid of the idea of falling that no one will catch you."

Then shoot, natamaan ako.

Piniga niya ang kamay ko at ngumiti.

"Don't worry, kung sakaling mahulog ka man, andito lang ako. Handang salohin ka."

Hindi ko alam kung ano dapat ko maramdaman. I'm happy. I'm truly is.

At nanganganib na puso ko dito.

Nilunok ko na lang laway ko at tinatagan loob ko. I don't wanna ruin this special night, not today, not tomorrow and not every date we will plan. NOT EVER AGAIN IN ALL ASPECTS.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

My heart skipped a beat and I got butterflies in my stomach.

As I looked at him, I slowly looked up.

The night is eternal. The silvery moon is dotted in the dark cloudless night sky while the stars filled the sky like pale corn into freshly turned ground. So beautiful. For me, it is the most beautiful art, alive within raw energy, a song for the eyes. I'm wondering, are we seeing the same moon and stars at night knowing that we both live in different universes? I want to see it right, in these two dimensions, I want to know it.

"Yeah, it is." I answered. Humalukipkip ito sa tawa. I squinted my eyes.

"Why?" I asked innocently.

He shrugged. "Nothing."

Nagulat ako nang kinuha niya mga kamay ko at nilagay niya sa abaga nito. He put his hand around my waist, swayed it and we just danced with every beat of our hearts.

And then, we danced under the moonlight.